Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
2038 km of the Indian River navigation corridor, with channel depths from USACE hydrographic survey. The river tops out around 29 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Drawn out, this is 37,264 acres of water rimmed by 69.4 miles of bank. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 2.6) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. About 93% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Tip to tip the water measures near 27.4 mi with a 15.7-mi widest point. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Lake Ashby, 18 mi west of here.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: largemouth bass in 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 9 to 29 ft for winter. The spot to know is Channel bar / point (mile 6.8), a point in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel bar / point (mile 6.8) (10 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel bar / point (mile 6.8) (10 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Channel bar / point (mile 6.8) (10 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 9 to 29 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 2.5) (14 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: crappie sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 9 to 29 ft. Top water on the chart: Outside-bend hole (mile 2.5), a creek channel in the 14 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Main-channel hole (mile 23.6) (10 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 2.5) (14 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 2.5) (14 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 9 to 29 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 2.5) (14 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
In spring, bluegill run shallow here, mostly 1 to 6 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 15 ft before dropping to 10 to 25 ft for winter. Winter bluegill concentrate at Slackwater eddy (mile 12.4), a prime-rated eddy pocket around 13 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | open water | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Slackwater eddy (mile 12.4) (13 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: channel catfish in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 25 ft before dropping to 9 to 29 ft for winter. The spot to know is Outside-bend hole (mile 2.5), a creek channel in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in summer. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 19.9) (11 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 2.5) (14 ft) | |
| Fall | 9 to 29 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 2.5) (14 ft) | |
| Winter | 9 to 29 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 2.5) (14 ft) |
Spring puts longnose gar in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 1 to 12 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 25 ft. Outside-bend hole (mile 2.5) is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 14 ft, rated prime for fall longnose gar. Plan around midday and the evening in the warm months. A rope lure or a small white spinner covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday | open water | Rope lure (hookless nylon), Inline spinner (slow) |
| Summer | 1 to 12 ft | midday & dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 19.9) (11 ft) | Rope lure, Small white spinner |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 2.5) (14 ft) | Rope lure, Small jerkbait (pause-heavy) |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Slackwater eddy (mile 12.4) (13 ft) |
16 pieces of structure are mapped here — Channel bar / point (mile 29.2), around 19 ft, is the deepest of them.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 11 | Brown trout | 1,200 | ~11.6" |
| May 11 | Brown trout | 1,499 | ~11.6" |
| May 11 | Brown trout | 1,500 | ~11.6" |
Source: Michigan DNR fish-stocking database, retrieved 2026-08-18.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Florida waters are set by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission — and special regulations can apply to Indian River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Florida fishing regulations →
Indian River is about 29 ft (9 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, longnose gar on Indian River. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Channel bar / point (mile 6.8) is the top-rated area: a point in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in fall. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For largemouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Yes — per Michigan DNR fish-stocking database records, Indian River was most recently stocked May 11 with 1,200 brown trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Indian River is regulated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Check the official Florida regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Lake Ashby 18 mi, FL · South Lake 19 mi, FL · Halifax River 20 mi, FL · Fox Lake 20 mi, FL · Ruth Lake 21 mi, FL · Horseshoe Lake 26 mi, FL · Lake Jesup 27 mi, FL · Lake Gleason 28 mi, FL · Trout Lake 28 mi, FL · Lake Monroe 28 mi, FL · North Lake Talmadge 30 mi, FL · St. Johns River 33 mi, FL
See how Indian River stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Florida · best crappie lakes in Florida · best bluegill lakes in Florida · best channel catfish lakes in Florida
Browse all Florida fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.